Free Range Chicken

anguk

My local Asda only had 4 free-range chickens left on Wednesday priced £2.50 to £3.20 but they were tiny and I would struggle to feed the four of us with one, I think all the larger chickens had been sold. So I bought 4 Extra Special free-range chicken legs instead they were in packs of 2 for about £1.50, so £3.00 altogether and plenty for a good meal.

Stephen_Leak

Badger_Lady wrote: »

Tee-hee, I like this! Yes, the actual animal you're buying is already dead... but do remember that by buying them you're perpetuating an intensive farming industry.

You could use this same argument to buy mink fur - they're already dead too

As of today, the intensive poultry producer should have already been paid for the chickens involved. If they can't sell them on for an honest profit, only the supermarkets are out of pocket.

Of course, as a result, the supermarkets will probably now buy fewer intensive chickens. If we buy even fewer of these, this cycle should repeat until intensively-produced poultry & eggs are a thing of the past.

iwanttosave_2

I haven't manage to find one in Asda recently at all, mind they only ever put about 6-8 out.

I live in a town called Bury, which has an amazing meat and fish market and have got my free rangers from there. Its £5 for one for £8 for 2 at one of the stalls. Got one the other day and it was enormous, one breast fed all 4 of us, one thigh and leg went into a sauce yesterday and still have loads left, not sure its all going to get eaten in time there is that much meat on it.

phizzimum

I bought a large organic chicken at Tesco today. I've never spent so long choosing a chicken!

They had some smaller ones labeled as something like "willow farm", complete with picture of a friendly farmer and a description of the lovely living conditions of the birds. But those chickens were all a bit small (having friends round for Sunday roast) so decided to overcome my skin flint tendencies and buy the organic one...managed to find one for under £9 - is that about right?

I've never looked at the price of organic chicken before so I had no idea what to expect to pay. But after watching HFW programme I promised the family that I would only buy free range in future.

iwanttosave_2

The willow farm ones arn't free range, they just apparently have nicer living conditions than normal intensive birds (somewhere to perch and fresh air coming in) but they don't get to go outside so still arn't free range in the proper sence of the word.

Just a note, just because its organic doesn't mean it is free range, although I suspect at that price it will be free range.

Angelina-M

I know its not at all moneysaving but I like the Label Anglais Chickens that Gordon Ramsay uses in his restaurant.

They are expensive. A 4lb chicken costs me about £12 but the chickens are fully free ranging in fields not 'have access to the outdoors if they like' The farm does not use antibiotics and the chicken tastes excellent.

I prefer to have a smaller cut of meat from an animal that has lived a good life. If the only choice is to buy intensively reared then we go veggie that night.

I'm on the lookout for good meat providers at farmers markets.

From a £12 chicken I make three meals. One day we will have a roast, hubby and I have a leg plus a little breast meat each and my daughter has a little bit of breast meat (she's not a big meat eater)

The next night I make something like a chicken and mushroom pie, or maybe lasagne.

The carcuss goes into the slow cooker and I make a hearty chicken soup with crusty bread.

I dont think £12 is bad when it feeds us for three nights.

Mojisola

iwanttosave wrote: »

Just a note, just because its organic doesn't mean it is free range, although I suspect at that price it will be free range.

I have seen this several times on different forums but it is not true. The organic standards do not allow any method but free range.

thriftlady_2

Mojisola wrote: »

I have seen this several times on different forums but it is not true. The organic standards do not allow any method but free range.

Yes, that's what I've read too;)

thriftlady_2

iwanttosave wrote: »

The willow farm ones arn't free range, they just apparently have nicer living conditions than normal intensive birds (somewhere to perch and fresh air coming in) but they don't get to go outside so still arn't free range in the proper sence of the word.

.

That sounds OK to me, I'm perfectly happy to buy chickens reared in this way, Waitrose' chickens are from a similar system. It is a shame this method doesn't get more publicity from Hugh F-W and co. Surely it is easier for farmers who are currently using the cruel intensive methods to swap to a decent barn operation than a fully free-range one.

~Chameleon~

thriftlady wrote: »

That sounds OK to me, I'm perfectly happy to buy chickens reared in this way, Waitrose' chickens are from a similar system. It is a shame this method doesn't get more publicity from Hugh F-W and co. Surely it is easier for farmers who are currently using the cruel intensive methods to swap to a decent barn operation than a fully free-range one.

I think this is a great compromise for people who can't or don't want to pay the higher price for free range/organic as these will be slightly cheaper, although not as cheap as the standard ones.

In fact Jamie did expressly talk about this in his fowl dinners programme (it was repeated last night) and said something like if they could get every farmer to use that as a minimum standard in the UK then most people would be happy.

I also agree that it should be much easier for farmers to switch to this method of production and sooner than later too, so fingers crossed a lot of them do!